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I TRAVELINGYGRA'NE. No. 4 2,524. Patented Apr. 30, 18 89.

w w i MW- m E A N4 PETERS, Phohrulhugrnphur. wllhingwn. DIC.

Witnesses UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE H. HELVEY, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, ASS IGNOR TO THE HOOVEN, OWENS &RENTSOI-ILER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TRAVELING CRANE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,524, dated April30, 1889.

Application filed February 15 1839. Serial No. 300,072- (No model.)

, To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. HELVEY, of Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTraveling Cranes, ofwhich the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to overhead travelin goranes for use infactories, warehouses, &c., and my improvements will be readilyunderstood from the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of theinterior of a building provided with an overhead traveling cranearranged to hoist by pneumatic power and exemplifying my improvements;Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section of the h eader-pipe K upon anenlarged scale, exhibiting in side elevationone of the branches L andits coupling part attached thereto; and Fig. 3, a side elevation upon anenlarged scale of the end portion of the flexible swing-pipe N,exhibiting its coupling part in vertical longitudinal section.

In the drawings, A indicates the interior of a building, as a shop orwarehouse; B, the longitudinal track-rails supported therein and formingthe overhead track on which the cranebridge travels; O, the crane-bridgearranged to travel along said track-rails, in the usual manner; D, thetrolley, arranged to travel along the bridge in the usual manner; E, anair-cylinder suspended from the trolley and traveling with the trolley;F', the piston-rod of this cylinder; G, the crane-hook on the lower endof the piston-rod, this hook serving as the means by which the load isattached to the crane in the usual manner; H, an airreservoir, adaptedto contain a supply of air ,under pressure; J, a supply-pipe placing theair-reservoir in communication with a source of supply or production ofcompressed air; K, a header-pipe communicating with the airreservoir,and extending parallel with the track-rails B, and entirely along suchportion of the track length as is intended to be brought within theoperation of the pneumatic crane system; L, a series of short branchpipes communicating with the header-pipe; M, a coupling part uponthe-free end of each of the branch pipes; N, a flexible swing-pipecommunicating with the air-cylinder E; O, a valve in this swing-pipe,preferably near the end thereof, this valve serving to open and closethe pipe, so as to permit or prevent the tlow of air therethrough; P, anoutlet-valve or cook communicating with the swing-pipe between the valve0 and the air-cylinder; Q, a coupling part on the free end of theswingpipe, this coupling part being adapted to intermember with thecoupling part M on any one of the branch pipes L; R, valves, one in eachof the coupling parts M and Q, these valves being disposed within andseating out-' wardly in the openings of the coupling parts, portions ofthe valves projecting without the coupling parts, whereby the pressurewithin serves to keep the valves closed when the coupling parts aredetached, whereby when the coupling parts are engaged with each otherthe projecting portions of the valve engage pressed air, and theair-pump or whatever ap-l. o

pliance'is used for compressing the airis m have a capacity to keep thepressure praott cally constant under general conditions of use. Theair-cylinder will have an area suited to the maximum load to be liftedwhen considered in connection with the air-pressure carried in thesystem, and the length of the air-cylinder will of course beproportioned to the maximum lift desired of the apparatus. The upper endof the air-cylinder above the piston will be in free communication withthe atmosphere. The swing-pipe will be of such length that when it iscoupled to one of the branch pipes it will permit the travel of thetrolley the entire length of the bridge. The branch pipes of the headerare to be located at such frequent intervals that one of them can alwaysbe reached by the swing-pipes.

The coupling parts 0 may be of the kind ordinarily used with air-brakeson railwaytrains. \Vhen the parts are uncoupled, the air-pressure withinthe pipes presses the valves Rshut and prevents the outflow of air.IVhen the coupling parts are connected, the valves R make contact witheach other and are forced open, thus permitting free communicationthrough the couplings. The branch pipes of the header are preferablyshort flexible pieces of tubing. The header maybe disposed in anyconvenient position, so long as it is parallel with the track-rails ofthe crane. It may be placed overhead or under the floor or along thewall or along the track supports; but its branch pipes must beconveniently accessible. In the exemplification I have shown the headeras secured against the series of columns sustaining one of thetrack-rails, and I have shown the branch pipes as being flexible tubeshanging downwardly therefrom.

In using the apparatus the bridge and trolley are moved in the usualmanner to bring the crane-hook over the desired point. The load is thenslung to the crane-hook, as usual. The swing-pipe, with the valves 0 andP closed, is then coupled to the nearest branch pipe of the header. Theact of coupling serves to open the valves R. The valve 0 is now open,thus admitting the compressed air to the cylinder and to the extentdesired, and lifting the load as far as desired. WVhen the proper lifthas been effected, the valve 0 is closed. The swing-pipe is then to bedisconnected from the branch pipe. The crane may now be moved to carryits load wherever desired within its range of action,the compressed airin the cylinder supporting the load. Upon reaching the point where theload is to be lowered the valve P is opened properly, thus permittingthe escape of air from the cylinder and permitting the descent of theload to any desired extent.

I have referred only to air as an exemplifying medium; but I do not wishto be understood as limiting my invention to apparatus in whichcompressed air is employed as the medium. Any fluid under pressure wouldbe its equivalent.

I claim as my invention- In a traveling crane, the combination,substantially as set forth, of a pair of track-rails, a crane-bridgearranged for travel thereon, a trolley arranged to travel along thecranebridge, an air-cylinder suspended from the trolley and having anattaching devicc as a crane-hook-upon the lower end of its pistonrod, anair-reservoir adapted for connection with a source of supply orproduction of air under pressure, a header-pipe connected with saidreservoir and disposed parallel to said track-rails, a series of branchpipes connected with said header-pipe and provided each with a couplingpart and with a valve, a swingpipe connected with said air-cylinder andprovided at its free end with a coupling part adapted to engage thecoupling part of any one of said branch pipes, a valve in saidswing-pipe adapted for manipulation to open or close said pipe, and anoutlet valve or cock communicating with said swing-pipe between saidvalve therein and said air-cylinder.

GEO. H. IIELVEY.

\Vitnesses:

J. W. SEE, W. A. SEWARD.

